Problems with my Electrolysis. Help please!

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
1

Hi Guys,

This is my first post on HairTell!!

I wouldn’t post my experiences to see if what I am experiencing is normal. I’m a 26 year old male and I have had about 4 years worth of laser (1 year of IPL then 3 years of true laser) of hair removal on my back, shoulders, upper arms, neck (up to the hair line) and although laser did reduce it, it didn’t eliminate it.

After about 1.5 years after having laser I decided to have electrolysis as I really wanted to get rid of the hair in theses areas. The hair in these areas isn’t thick, they are sparse, but when they grow, they can grow up to an inch long!!

So I’ve had 6 full clearings of these areas (we did mass clearings, at first it took 4 hours, now we are down to about 2.5, but I think that is due to my tolerance being better, not necessarily the hair being reduced).

The problem I’m having with my electrolysis is that the room we operate in is particularly dark. Like I don’t know how she sees the fine hairs. Last session was the last straw. I came home had a shower and looked at myself (using the powerful bathroom lights) and there was so much hair still that hadn’t been electrocuted. I was furious!! I have literally brought it up with hair since about the 2nd clearing. She won’t even use the fluro light that she has in the room.

So I have a few questions.

1) How important is lighting when you are doing electrolysis. My logical brain is saying it should be bright so you can see the hairs?

2) Is 2.5 - 4 hours too short of time to be clearing this large on area. I will say that she uses the highest setting possible (she uses an old Epil-Ago machine that looks like it is from the 1980s and we use it on the highest setting possible. There is no switch from blend, galvanic etc. It just has the strength of the current)

3) After 6 full clearings, I should be seeing some pretty significant results shouldn’t I? There are still some think singular hairs that just won’t die.

4) As much as my current electrolysis person is really nice, I don’t think she is doing a good job so I want to change. I live in Australia and like with everything, it’s hard to find a decent electrolysis that won’t rob you. (Some places down town charge up to $175ph, there was even a place that charges $350 per hours!!!

I found another salon that charges $90 ph which is similar to what I was paying at the other lady and she uses a Sterex SX-B? Is that a good machine?

Thanks guys for your support in advance!

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  1. Yep, sufficient lighting is imperative for electrolysis.
    Does your electrologist wear magnifying spectacles (loupes?)
    Have you noticed any marks/scabs/irritation, aside from pinpoint scabs, after treatment?
    If your electrologist is not using any form of direct lighting or magnification, I would worry. How would they know where to insert the needle? Hair follicles aren’t as straight forward as they seem, guessing where to insert would be both painful for the client and makes for imperfect results (both with skin irritation and lack of precision in the kill zone - i.e. more chance of regrowth).

  2. Without photos it is difficult to comment on how long a clearance should take, it will also depend on the practitioner.

  3. Were they true clearances, with all the hair in that area treated and then treated again when regrowth came through (~12 weeks from date of clearance)?

  4. I have heard of places that charge $350 p/h and I sincerely question their justification for such a price. One of these places the person had no formal training at all…uh?

As Australia does not have its own association/industry body it is difficult to find an electrologist with proper training/accreditation. It may be worthwhile calling around and inquiring what experience the electrologist has before deciding.

Accreditation does not necessarily equal a good electrologist though, for example I believe it was/is part of the curriculum for some beauty therapy courses to complete 10 hours worth of electrolysis to be considered “competent”! And as this industry is pretty much unregulated anyone can set up shop and start treating.
While I’m sure there are some beauticians who are competent with electrolysis, it was not reassuring to know back when I was needing treatment.
Some accredited bodies are BIAE, AEA, COPE etc.

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Hi Catsup,

Nope, no goggles, no direct lighting. You just confirmed my suspicions. I think I will have to give her the flick.

The hairs are so thin and fine (but they grow LONG!) that all the photos I try to take come out really bad and it looks like there isn’t anything there.

The hair grew back within 2-3 weeks? Does that mean they were not treated properly? To be fair, we always smelt that hair burning smell.

I think the entire beauty industry in Australia is horridly unprofessional and unregulated. It’s disgraceful!!

What about the other electrologist and her machine. Is that a good machine. Do you think I can trust her?

Thanks!

4

I recommend looking into other threads on these forums from those who have had laser/ipl before electrolysis. The nature of the hair can be changed by those treatments.

2-3 weeks would mean either totally new hairs coming through or the hairs were improperly treated. By the way, you shouldn’t be noticing any burning smell…that would more likely be caused by burnt tissue and not burnt hair.
That isn’t really surprising considering the lack of magnification and lighting tools, it’s pretty much just taking a stab in the dark and burning the surface of the skin.
I’m really curious to know whether you feel any plucking or resistance from treatments??

Sterex is a well known brand, I don’t know that exact model. If you’re able to find a practitioner who has an Apilus Platinum that, in my opinion, would be even better.
Though it of course means nothing if the practitioner has neither the experience or correct lighting/magnification anyway.

5

I would like to add something about the lighting. For finer hairs, having the brightest lighting can hide the hairs from the view of the electrologist. Just sayin’.

bneslcs wrote: “2) Is 2.5 - 4 hours too short of time to be clearing this large on area. I will say that she uses the highest setting possible (she uses an old Epil-Ago machine that looks like it is from the 1980s and we use it on the highest setting possible.”

Two things I would like to mention: One - When I “clear” someone, I remove the most noticeable hairs first. When the client goes home, they are going to see remaining hairs - but those hairs are less pigmented and smaller in diameter than the ones I focused on. Two - Using the highest setting on an epilator does not mean you got the RIGHT settings. THAT concerns me. The smell of burning hair? That should be rare.

Magnification is very important. Consumers should expect their electrologist to have good magnification.

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One of the reasons I like the stereo microscopes is they have an adjustment on the brightness/dimming of the halogen light source. One can make sure that one can see their shadows and take some of the strain off one’s eyes.

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I’m not too concerned about the ipl/laser situation as I had my last laser session on in March 2011 and started Electrolysis in December 2012, and in between that time, I shaved, so it should be fine.

I think it’s fair to say that I will be giving my current electrologist the flick.

However, can I please request you guys specifics as to what I should ask my new electrologist in order to ensure she is qualified and decent?

Is it just, how man years experience, proper lighting, magnification, proper tweezers… what else?

Cheers!

8

Book a few consultations with different practitioners, look at their setup, do they have good magnification, lighting etc. I don’t have experience with loupes myself, perhaps someone else could comment. I use a microscope which I find very helpful for seeing the fine hairs.

The electrologists should offer a sample treatment, the needle should slide in with no discomfort, it shouldn’t feel like you are being poked, you will feel the current and the hair should slide out and not feel as if it is being plucked.

I would also look at and ask about sanitation and infection control practices. Overall do things look clean and well maintained. Do they wash hands between clients, wipe down equipment with a disinfectant, place fresh paper on the bed. Even if using gloves hands should be washed between clients. Is the practitioner clean and professional in their appearance.

Also, get a sense of the person overall, do they come across as a professional, are they passionate about what they are doing.

Good luck.

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If you post your location here, perhaps someone has a referral for your area. This is the best way to find a great electrologist.

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I’m in Brisbane, Australia.

You know of any C O’Connell?

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I think you might be communicating with C. O’Connell right here!

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That is funny!! Sadly I am unable to recommend anyone in Brisbane currently. I have one male client who travels from there as he was not happy with his local experience. Later this year there is a plan to retrain someone who has been out of practice for a number of years, so perhaps next year the situation will improve. It is a good idea to have several sample treatments/ consultations before making any decisions. There could well be a great practitioner there, unfortunately we as electrologists hear more about clients’ bad experiences than good ones. Satisfied clients stay with their practitioners’ and are no longer searching for a better operator.